Electric motors

ABSTRACT

A 3-phase, alternating current, speed-changing electric motor or generator with speed-changing effected by pole-amplitude modification. The machine has a winding layout providing a first pole-number. The second pole-number requires the reversal in polarity of all poles in each negative half wave of a sinusoidal pole-amplitude modulation wave extending the 360* of the winding periphery. Pole-amplitudes, determined by coil-grouping, approximate to the sinusoidal amplitude of the modulation wave at the pole-locations. Pole-locations are substantially equally spaced-apart throughout, but coil-groups at the zero-amplitude positions of the modulation wave may be omitted (so-called &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;phantom&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; coil-groups). Integral coil-group values approximating closely to the sine wave amplitude values at the corresponding pole-locations, are used.

Broadway et al.

[ Dec. 16, 1.975

[ 41 ELECTRIC MOTORS 3,673,477 6/1972 Broadway 318/224 3,686,553 8/1972 Broadway 1 318/224 [75] Inventors Alexander Rlchal'd wlham 3794,870 2/1974 Broadway 310/180 Broadway; William Fong; Gordon glntlile gawcliffe, all of Bnstol, Primary Examiner R Skudy ng an Attorney, Agent, or FirmLarson, Taylor and Hinds [73] Assignee: National Research Development Corporation, London, England [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed; Apr. 1, 1974 A 3-phase, alternating current, speed-changing electric motor or generator with speed-changing effected [21] Appl' 456357 by pole-amplitude modification. The machine has a winding layout providing a first pole-number. The sec- [30] F i A li i P i i D ond pole-number requires the reversal in polarity of A 13, 1973 U d d 17943 all poles in each negative half wave of a sinusoidal pr mte mg m /73 ole-amplitude modulation wave extending the 360 p I e 52 us. c1 318/224- 310/207 0f the PehPheYY- POlehmPhthdes, detehhlhed [51] Int. Cl. H0 2K 17/14 by coil'grouping approximate to the Sinusoidal ampli' [58] Field of Search 310/179 180 184 198 tude of the modulation wave at the Pole-locations- 310/201, 202, 203 204, i Pole-locations are substantially equally spaced-apart i throughout, but coil-groups at the zero-amplitude positions of the modulation wave may be omitted (so- [56] References Cited called phantom coil-groups). Integral coil-group UNITED STATES PATENTS values approximating closely to the sine wave amplitude values at the corresponding pole-locations, are 3,197,686 7/l965 Rawcliffe 1. 318/224 used 3,308,363 3/1967 Rawcliffe.... 1. 318/224 3,619,748 11/1971 Eastham 318/224 13 l im 6 Drawing Figures A2 B2 C2 2 11 12 33 53 13 Co11- P17011 6 SLOTS (1-7etc) U.S. Patent Dec. 16,1975 Sheet1of4 3,927,358

PRIOR ART 9 0-924 1 242 2-42 1 1 '242 2-42 1 IDEAL 2 3 3 2 2 3 3 2 {(1 1-5 1-5 1 1 1-5 1-5 1 ACTUAL sine US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet 2 of4 3,927,358

A2 B2 C2 2; L51 L11 52 12 as; 58 Z 18 Z 39 59 19 COIL- PITCH :6 SLOTS (1-7etc.)

U.S. Patent Dec.16,1975 Sheet40f4 3,927,358

A2 1 B2 1 C2 A1 B1 C1 COIL-PITCHI 7 51015 (H? etc.)

ELECTRIC MOTORS This invention relates to 3-phase, alternating current, speed-changing electric motors and generators, in which speed-changing is effected by the method of pole-amplitude modulation, (PAM).

The method of providing alternative operating polenumbers by pole-amplitude modulation has been described in papers by Professor G. H. Rawcliffe and others, the first entitled Induction Motor Speed- Changing by Pole-Amplitude Modulation in the Proceedings of The Institution of Electrical Engineers, Vol. 105, Part A, No. 22, August 1958 and a second entitled Speed-Changing Induction Motors Further Developments in Pole-Amplitude Modulation in the Proceedings of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, Vol. 107, Part A, No. 36, December 1960.

The method has been further described and defined in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,233,159, 3,070,734, 3,175,142, 3,175,143, 3,175,144 3,197,686, 3,299,337, 3,308,363, 3,673,477, 3,686,553 and others.

The object of the present invention is to provide fiirther improved electric machines of the said type in which speed-changing is effected by pole-amplitude modulation.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,159 disclosed symmetrical PAM windings, wherein two pole-numbers are provided, neitherpolemumber being a multiple of 3. The stator windings described are identical for each phase and there is consequently no possibility ofunbalance arising therein for either pole-number. I

Such windings described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,159 are of two types:

The first type is based on a winding which is initially uniformly distributed and from which, on modulation, certain coils (at regularintervals) are excluded. The circuit used for this purpose is shown in FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b) of that specification. This type of winding and switching is now rarely used, and will not be considered any further herein.

The secondtype uses phase-windings all coils of which are energized at both running speeds. The circuit used for this purpose is shown in FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b) of that patent.

The object of the present invention is more particularly to provide improved electric machines using the second type of winding considered in U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,159.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a threephase alternating-current, speed-changing rotary machine, comprising an electric motor or generator, having a stator winding comprising three phase-windings wound on a stator frame in a layout defining a first operating pole-number, speed-changing to asecond operating pole-number being effected by the method of pole-amplitude modulation, said layout defining a poleamplitude modulation wave extending around each phase-winding circumference, the poles in alternate half-cycles of the said wave being. reversed in polarity to provide the said second operating pole-number, the phase-winding coil-group distribution providing the poles of the said first pole-number comprising substantially equi-angularly spaced-apart coil-groups of sequentially varying amplitude approximating to a sinusoidal amplitudedistribution within each modulating wave half-cycle, the said distribution including coilcoil-group as aforesaid, comprising zero-number coil groups positioned substantially at the zero-amplitude positions defined by the said sinusoidal amplitude distribution of the said modulating wave.

In order that the invention may readily be carried into practice, two embodiments, both showing the principle of the invention applied to an 8-pole/lO-pole machine. both with an 8-pole winding layout, will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing coil-grouping of an 8- pole/10-pole winding in 60 slots constructed according U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,159;

FIG. 2 is a similar diagram showing coil-grouping of an 8-pole/ l0-pole winding in 60 slots, according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a winding diagram of an 8-pole/lO-pole winding in 60 slots, according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing coil-grouping of an 8- pole/ l0-pole winding in 72 slots constructed according U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,159;

FIG. 5 is a similar diagram showing coil-grouping of an 8-pole/10-pole winding in 72 slots, according to the present invention: and

FIG. 6 is a winding diagram of an 8-pole/l0-pole winding in 72 slots, according to the present invention;

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,159, it was assumed that the coil-grouping of each phasewinding was symmetrical, within each of the pole-amplitude modulating wave for the phase-winding, about the mid-point of that wave. This assumption placed some severe limitations on the coil-grouping and on the properties of the winding.

For example, a 60-slot 8-pole/10-pole P.A.M. winding, could be grouped 2-3-3-2-2-3-3-2 per phase, or l-4-4-1 --l-4-4-l,. The grouping 2-3-3-2is, in ratio, proportional to 1-1.5-1.5-1.

FIGS. land 2 and FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings are diagrams representing one phase-winding of a 3-phase machine and showing a single-cycle, sinusoidal poleamplitude wave extending the periphery of that phase winding. Vertical lines representing the ideal locations of the coil-groups, according to the 8-pole layout, are spaced apart 360/N, that is 45. The angular position of the coil-group locations within the sinusoidal modulating wave may vary, as it is now recognised according to the principle of the present invention, although the ideal angular spacing between the coil-groups remains unchanged.

The height of the lines varies sequentially according to the sinusoidal wave. The ideal values according to the sinusoidal wave drawn, and according to the chosen angular positions of the coil-groups within the sinusoidal wave, is shown by the first line of numbers below. The actual values, according to the practical coilgrouping described, is shown in the second and subsequent lines.

FIG. 1 shows an arrangement, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,159, in which the coil-groups locations (8-poles) are spaced apart by 45 and a'fianged, within the half-cycles of the modulation wave, symmetricall about the zero-crossing of the sinusoidal eurveat 180 The ideal coil-grouping to provide a sinusoidal pole= amplitude distribution, for the symmetflfil pole-loca= tions shown, would be l-2.42 2.42 l and repeat. The practical coil-distributions given, corfesponding to e'i= theffll" or 4.0 are each far retrieved from the ideal value of 2.42.

It has now been realised that it is possible to locate a phantom coil-group at each coil-group location which coincides with or is near to a zero-amplitude position according to the sinusoidal pole-amplitude modulation wave. Furthermore, it is permissible'relatively to displace the modulation sine curve. and the coil-group locations so as to make a, coil-grouplocation coincide substantially with a zero-amplitude position of the sine curve.

By a phantom coil-group is meant a zero-number of coils, at a coil-group location. In other words, such coil-groups are omitted by there being no coils wound at such locations. By substantially at a zero-amplitude position is meant at an angular position for which the sine value is low and zero is a near approximation. Substantially certainly includes an angular displacement of 5, as in the example of FIG. 5.

Such an arrangement is shown inFlG. 2, from which diagram it is clear that the actual coil-grouping (3-4-3-O--3-4-3-O, proportional to l-1.33-l-0 and repeat) and the ideal coil-grouping (l-l.4l-l-0 and repeat) are very nearly the same.

This coil grouping means that the design approaches more nearly to the ideal and that the m.m.f. harmonic content is much reduced. Also, there is the added practical advantage that this 8-pole/ 1 O-pole P.A.M. winding contains only 18 coil-groups in all, that is.6 per phase not 8 per phase. Manufacture and the making of endconnections is thereby simplified.

A winding diagram for a 60-slot, 8-pole/10-pole winding, having such coil-grouping, is given in FIG. 3. The coil-pitch is 6 slots throughout, that is slot 1 to slot 7 and so on.

There is the further advantage, which applies generally to such windings, that the layer factors are nearly It is possible to group the coils in a completely skewed manner over each 180 of modulating wave. The number of coils per group can then be made proportional to sin a, sin (45 a), sin (90 a) and sin 135 a), if this gives a still closer approximation. By drawing up a simple table of these values for a small range of values of the-angular displacement a, it becomes clear that a value of a 5 gives relative values for the coil-grouping which are very near to 0-4-5-3 --0-4-5-3.

As shown in FIG. 5, the numerical values for a 5 are proportionalto 0.44-3. 83-5-3L22.

As shown by the actual figures in the lowest line of FIG. 5, the zero-number coil-groups are placed at coilgroup locations substantially at the zero-value positions of the sinusoidal modulation curve and are here located at positions where the numerical values are 0.44, relative to a maximum amplitude of 5.0. Substantially at the zero-value positions, in this case, means at angular ,positions displaced by 5 from the zero-value positions.

The other three coil-group locations in each wave halfcycle are each represented by a different coil-grouping, the values being 4, 5 and 3 coils per group respectively.

' diagram, and the excellent winding data obtained. The

equal (1 0.874 and 1 0.862) and the'air-gap very favourably with the value 0.78 for the earlier form of 8-pole/lO-pole, 60-slot P.A.M. winding of FIG. 1. The lower value of [B /B of the winding of FIG. 1 means that the rating of the motor is lower at the higher speed, whereas in fact it normally needs then to be greater.

The coil-grouping shown in FIG. 2 still possesses some degree of spatial symmetry, in that the coils are still grouped symmetrically about the phantom coilgroup at the 180 coil-group location.

A further principle of the present invention is that the coil-group locations and the sinusoidal modulating wave may be relatively displaced, to enable coil-group locations to coincide substantially with zero-positions of the sinusoidal modulating wave, that is. correspond to low-value amplitude positions of the said wave. representing values of, say, less than 10% of the peak amplitude, without the requirement for the coil-group locations to be symmetrically disposed about the 180 point of the sine wave.

Considering, as a further example, an 8-pole/10-pole P.A.M. winding in 72 slots. According to the known principles of US. Pat. No. 3,233,159, this would be grouped 2-4-4-2--2-4-4-2, which is proportional to l-2-2-1 and repeat, as shown in FIG. 4. In this case, the value 2.0 is already a better approximation of the ideal value of 2.42 than were the corresponding values for the 60-slot winding. However, the present invention provides a new and better way of winding an 8-pole/l0-pole P.A.M. winding in 72 slots, now to be discussed.

m.m.f. analysis. for'both pole-numbers, for the windings in both FIG. 3 and FIG. 6 has been carried out and the results are very satisfactory. a

The principles of the present invention are applicable not solely to 8-pole/ l0-pole machines, but generally to machines 'where neither pole-number is a multiple of 3 and where the three phase-windings are identical.

The principle is considered to be particularly valuable fora l4-pole/16-pole machine and for multiples of the 8-pole/10-pole winding, for example a 16- pole/20pole winding. In each case, the first pole-number defines the winding layout.

What we claim is:

l. A three-phase alternating current, speed-changing rotary machine, comprising an electric motor or generator, wherein speed-changing from a first operating pole-number to a second operating pole-number is effected by the method of pole amplitude modulation, said machine having a stator winding comprising three phase-windings wound on a stator frame in a layout defining said first operating pole-number, said layout defining a pole-amplitude modulation wave extending around the circumference of each phase-winding wherein the poles in alternate half-cycles of the said wave are reversed in polarity to provide the said second operating pole-number, the phase-winding coil-group distribution providing the poles of the said first polesubstantially at the zero-amplitude positions defined by the said sinusoidal amplitude distribution of the said modulating wave.

2. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 1, having coil-group locations symmetrically disposed about the .180 point of the sinusoidal modulation wave.

3. A three-phase altemating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 1, having coil-group locations which are not symmetrically disposed about the 180 point of the sinusoidal modulation wave.

4. A three-phase altemating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 2, having a first pole-number devisable by 4, having a coil-group locating with the highest coil-grouping located at each unit value amplitude position of the sinusoidal modulation wave and omitted coil-groups at each zero-amplitude position of the said wave.

5. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 4, for 8-pole/10-pole working, having coil-group locations with coil-groupings equal to each other but fewer than at the said unit value amplitude position pole-locations, positioned at 45, 135, 225, and 315 of the sinusoidal modulation wave.

6. A three-phase alternating current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 3, in which some of the coil-group locations coincide exactly with zero-value amplitude positions of the sinusoidal modulation wave and the zero-number coil-group locations correspond to low-value amplitude positions of the said wave.

7. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 6, for 8-pole/10-pole working, having zero-number coil-group locations at positions of the sinusoidal modulation wave displaced by only a small angle from a position of zero-amplitude value and three equi-angularly spaced apart coil-group locations therebetween each one having a different coil-grouping from the other two.

8. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 3 in which some of the coil group locations coincide exactly with unit value amplitude positions of the sinusoidal modulation wave and the zero-numbr coil-group locations correspond to lowvalue amplitude positions of the said wave.

9. A three-phase alternating current, pole-amplitude modulation speed-changing rotary machine, comprising an electric motor or generator, said machine having a slotted stator carrying a stator winding comprising three phase-windings each with substantially equiangularly spaced-apart coil-group locations, consecutive coil-group locations comprising different numbers of coils, the numbers of coils grouped at the said coilgroup locations varying substantially in accordance with a sinusoidal distributionn extending around the entire periphery of the phase-winding concerned, coilgroups being entirely omitted from coil-group locations corresponding substantially to zero values of said sinusoidal amplitude distribution, and all the slots of the said slotted stator being occupied by coils grouped at others of the said coil-group locations.

10. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 9, in which coil-groups comprising the largest of said different numbers of coils are positioned at coil-group locations corresponding substantially to maximum values of said sinusoidal amplitude distribution.

11. A three-phase altemating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 10, having coil-group locations symmetrically disposed about the middle (180) point of the sinusoidal amplitude wave extending around the periphery of the phase-winding concerned.

12. A three-phase altemating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 11, for 8 pole/1O pole working having pole locations corresponding to the 45, 225, and 315 points of the said sinusoidal amplitude wave occupied by groups of coils of equal number to each other but fewer than the said largest number.

13. A three-phase alternating current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 10, having coil-group locations asymmetrically disposed with respect to the middle (180) point of the sinusoidal amplitude wave extending around the periphery of the phase-winding concerned, coil-group locations being positioned at corresponding angular positions of the first and second halves of the said sinusoidal wave and each such coilgroup location being occupied by a coil-group of a different number of coils from the coil-groups of the same half of the sinusoidal wave and the same number of coils of the correspondingly positioned coil-group of the other half of the sinusoidal wave.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,927,358 DATED December 16, 1975 1 Alexander Richard William Broadway et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover page, line 11, under the priority date now appearing, please insert the following:

7 July 12, 1973 United Kingdom 33273/73 Signed and Scaled this [SEAL] Attest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner ofPatents and Trademarks Fourth Day of January 1977 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT N0. 3,927,358 DATED December 16, 1975 1 Alexander Richard William Broadway t a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover page, line 11, under the priority date now appearing, please insert the following:

July 12, 1973 United Kingdom 33273/73 Signed and Scaled this Fourth D3) of January 1977 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN A! I 8 ff Commissioner ojlatents and Trademarks 

1. A three-phase alternating current, speed-changing rotary machine, comprising an electric motor or generator, wherein speed-changing from a first operating pole-number to a second operating pole-number is effected by the method of pole amplitude modulation, said machine having a stator winding comprising three phase-windings wound on a stator frame in a layout defining said first operating pole-number, said layout defining a poleamplitude modulation wave extending around the circumference of each phase-winding wherein the poles in alternate half-cycles of the said wave are reversed in polarity to provide the said second operating pole-number, the phase-winding coil-group distribution providing the poles of the said first pole-number comprising substantially equi-angularly spaced-apart coil-groups of sequentially varying amplitude which approximates a sinusoidal amplitude distribution within each modulating wave half-cycle, the said distribution including coil-group locations, substantially equi-angularly spaced-apart from adjacent coilgroups comprising zero-number coil groups positioned substantially at the zero-amplitude positions defined by the said sinusoidal amplitude distribution of the said modulating wave.
 2. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 1, having coil-group locations symmetrically disposed about the 180* point of the sinusoidal modulation wave.
 3. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 1, having coil-group locations which are not symmetrically disposed about the 180* point of the sinusoidal modulation wave.
 4. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 2, having a first pole-number devisable by ''''4'''', having a coil-group locating with the highest coil-grouping located at each unit value amplitude position of the sinusoidal modulation wave and omitted coil-groups at each zero-amplitude position of the said wave.
 5. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 4, for 8-pole/10-pole working, having coil-group locations with coil-groupings equal to each other but fewer than at the said unit value amplitude position pole-locations, positioned at 45*, 135*, 225*, and 315* of the sinusoidal modulation wave.
 6. A three-phase alternating current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 3, in which some of the coil-group locations coincide exactly with zero-value amplitude positions of the sinusoidal modulation wave and the zero-number coil-group locations correspond to low-value amplitude positions of the said wave.
 7. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 6, for 8-pole/10-pole working, having zero-number coil-group locations at positions of the sinusoidal modulation wave displaced by only a small angle from a position of zero-amplitude value and three equi-angularly spaced apart coil-group locations therebetween each one having a different coil-grouping from the other two.
 8. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 3 in which some of the coil group locations coincide exactly with unit value amplitude positions of the sinusoidal modulation wave and the zero-numbr coil-group locations correspond to low-value amplitude positions of the said wave.
 9. A three-phase alternating current, pole-amplitude modulation speed-changing rotary machine, comprising an electric motor or generator, said machine having a slotted stator carrying a stator winding comprising three phase-windings each with substantially equiangularly spaced-apart coil-group locations, consecutive coil-group locations comprising different numbers of coils, the numbers of coils grouped at the said coil-group locations varying substantially in accordance with a sinusoidal distributionn extending around the entire periphery of the phase-winding concerned, coil-groups being entirely omitted from coil-group locations corresponding substantially to zero values of said sinusoidal amplitude distribution, and all the slots of the said slotted stator being occupied by coils grouped at others of the said coil-group locations.
 10. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 9, in which coil-groups comprising the largest of said different numbers of coils are positioned at coil-group locations corresponding substantially to maximum values of said sinusoidAl amplitude distribution.
 11. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 10, having coil-group locations symmetrically disposed about the middle (180*) point of the sinusoidal amplitude wave extending around the periphery of the phase-winding concerned.
 12. A three-phase alternating-current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 11, for 8 pole/10 pole working having pole locations corresponding to the 45*, 135*, 225*, and 315* points of the said sinusoidal amplitude wave occupied by groups of coils of equal number to each other but fewer than the said largest number.
 13. A three-phase alternating current, speed-changing machine as claimed in claim 10, having coil-group locations asymmetrically disposed with respect to the middle (180*) point of the sinusoidal amplitude wave extending around the periphery of the phase-winding concerned, coil-group locations being positioned at corresponding angular positions of the first and second halves of the said sinusoidal wave and each such coil-group location being occupied by a coil-group of a different number of coils from the coil-groups of the same half of the sinusoidal wave and the same number of coils of the correspondingly positioned coil-group of the other half of the sinusoidal wave. 